After snow, area deals with single-digit lows, wind chills below zero

After Thursday's snow that blanketed the area, residents now have to deal with extreme cold air and below-zero wind chills.

The temperature at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport dropped from 27 degrees at 6 a.m. Thursday to 16 degrees 12 hours later.

The National Weather Service predicts continued low temperatures in the Cape Girardeau area, with lows to approach zero degrees tonight and Saturday night. A wind chill advisory remains in effect through 10 a.m. today for Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Perry, Scott, Stoddard and other area counties. Wind chill values are expected to remain between minus 10 and minus 15 degrees through noon.

The National Weather Service said high temperatures today and Saturday will be in the teens, while Accuweather.com forecast a high in the low 20s today and in the teens Saturday. Both services predict highs will return to the 30s on Monday.

Snow that began late Wednesday night caused several traffic accidents around the area Thursday, including a fatal accident on Highway 25 in Stoddard County that killed a 75-year-old Bloomfield, Mo., woman.

Two warming centers were open in Cape Girardeau at the Salvation Army facility at 701 Good Hope St. and the Osage Community Centre at 1625 N. Kingshighway. As of midmorning Thursday, the facilities reported no one had taken advantage of the service.

David Moser, left, Greg Priest, and Anthony Plyler, all with Teen Challenge, clear sidewalks early Thursday, January 7, 2009, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. (Kit Doyle)

Both facilities are open during their normal operating hours but could be open around the clock if they were declared emergency shelters.

The Salvation Army facility will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Osage Community Centre will be open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 9 p.m. Sunday.

Area stores reported a rush on grocery items, ice melt and shovels Wednesday ahead of the snow but said demand for those products had slowed Thursday.

"With the meteorologists calling for just snow and not ice, there wasn't near the panic as in the past," said Tyler Russom, store manager at Buchheit in Jackson.

Russom said his store sold out of ice melt and shovels by Wednesday afternoon but had replenished its supply later that day. Russom said he had about five shovels as of 8:30 a.m. Thursday and planned on receiving more from the company's headquarters near Perryville, Mo.

Tom Bowen brushes off sidewalks early Thursday, January 7, 2009, between Academic Hall and the University Center at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau. (Kit Doyle)

Dennis Marchi, manager of Schnucks in Cape Girardeau, said employees restocked bread, milk and deli items several times Wednesday but never ran out.

"Our vendors are really good about stocking us with an ample supply of those items that usually are among the most popular when we have a severe weather event," Marchi said.

Ernie Blevins, assistant manager at Country Mart in Jackson, also reported a high demand on those items.

"We were stocking shelves all day yesterday, it seemed," Blevins said. "When they call for snow or ice, we know what to expect."

Thursday morning's snowfall resulted in slick roads that closed area schools and resulted in at least one fatal traffic accident.

Shortly after 7 a.m. the Missouri State Highway Patrol received a report of a fatal traffic accident north of Advance, Mo. Highway patrol spokesman Sgt. Dale Moreland said that a car overturned on Highway 25, one and a half miles north of Advance. Helen Lee was killed in the accident when the vehicle driven by her husband, 76-year-old Billy Lee, overturned in an icy ditch.

Chris Noles, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky., said Cape Girardeau had received about 1.5 inches of snow just after 6 a.m. Little snow fell after that. The weather service reported that Marble Hill, Mo., and Carbondale, Ill., received 2.5 inches, and Altenburg, Mo., received 3.5 inches

Charlie Machon was among those clearing snow in downtown Cape Girardeau on Thursday morning.

"I'm just glad it wasn't ice this time," said Machon, sexton at Christ Episcopal Church, as he was sweeping snow off the steps at 38 N. Fountain St.

The Cape Girardeau Police Department reported at 9:15 a.m. nine weather-related accidents since Wednesday night, though none was serious. Jackson police reported no major accidents or problems with roadways.

Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter reported six accidents but nothing serious as of 9:30 a.m.

The weather prompted numerous area schools to call off classes for the day. According to KZIM KSIM radio, schools canceling classes Thursday included Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Nell Holcomb, Oak Ridge, Perry County and Scott City. A full list can be found at the station's website.

The Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge under a light blanket of snow early Thursday, January 7, 2009, in Cape Girardeau. (Kit Doyle)

Several schools that have partnered with the Southeast Missourian to deliver text messages to parents and students sent messages Thursday morning saying school was closed. Those schools include Scott City, Immaculate Conception in Jackson, St. Vincent in Cape Girardeau, Notre Dame Regional High School, St. Mary school in Cape Girardeau, Cape Christian School and Nell Holcomb.

Saint Francis Medical Center's Fitness Plus facility canceled all exercise classes before noon, according to a news release from Saint Francis. Classes after noon were to be held at the discretion of the instructor.

bblackwell@semissourian.com

388-3628

msanders@semissourian.com

388-3652

Pertinent addresses:

300 South 4th St., Paducah, KY

309 East Jackson Blvd., Jackson, MO

19 S. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, MO

2801 Old Orchard Road, Jackson, MO